Vincent Boilard began playing music at 6 years of age, learning the recorder before embracing the oboe at 11. He hasn’t looked back since! He pursued his mastery of the instrument with Philippe Magnan in Quebec City and with Roland Perrenoud in Geneva. After winning First Prize at the Canadian Music Competition in 2006, he began to think seriously about turning professional. His fondest musical memory is of performing Mahler’s Symphony no. 1 with the National Youth Orchestra of Canada. He first played with the OSM on July 15, 2015, accompanying the band Les Trois accords. His first tour with the OSM was also memorable: it was in 2016, the Orchestra was performing in the United States, and he was still on probation before becoming a permanent member of the orchestra. Maestro Nagano had the right words to encourage and support him in his endeavours. Vincent Boilard also teaches oboe at the Université de Montréal.